


Erion's Future

by WrestleCrazyGamer



Category: Odin Sphere
Genre: Multi, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 10:09:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11872128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrestleCrazyGamer/pseuds/WrestleCrazyGamer
Summary: Alice attends Odin Academy, and is one day made to participate in Odin's Trial to rank up to Dragonslayer 3rd Class. Once she does, she quickly learns that her school does far more than educate students.





	Erion's Future

New Valentine’s Odin Academy is a highly prestigious school dedicated to training tomorrow’s military. Students are divided into different ranks depending on how they perform in aptitude tests that test both the mind and the body. Every three years a select few students, hand-picked by the school’s staff to be presented to the headmaster, are upgraded from their current rank to the very coveted Dragonslayer Rank. What makes Dragonslayer so special, is anyone from any rank could be chosen to be promoted. Of course, there is a particular test all candidates must complete in order to receive the promotion… the ever mysterious “Odin’s Trial”. Students who participate, whether they pass or not, are sworn to secrecy never revealing what the trial is or where it is held.

Birds were chirping as Alice, now going on seventeen years old, lay in the grass of the courtyard. She let her long blond hair down to avoid tangles as she stared at the brilliant blue sky. For the sixth time now she’d failed her Promotion Exam to rank up from Templar 1st Class to Valkyrie 3rd Class. It hurt more this time because she only failed by five points. One of her friends was already a Valkyrie 2nd Class. In fact, she was the only one of her year still flying the light blue and black uniform of the Templar rank. Her sky staring was interrupted by a cold can of “Mandra-POW” soda being placed on her forehead.

“COLD!!!” she screeched sitting up causing her to panic catching the can inches before it could hit the ground.

“You looked like you could use one.” a man’s voice snickered.

Sitting down beside her with his legs crossed was Mr. Vuro, the Survival Studies teacher. He was wearing his usual outfit, black combat boots, black and white military pants, a black and white dive suit bearing the New Valentine Military insignia on the left breast, and black fingerless gloves. He had an open can of “Coffee-to-Go” with him.

“Thanks…” Alice sighed.

“I can imagine your frustration. Not a lot of people pass Ms. Crow’s Promotion Exams though, so at the least you aren’t the only one.” Mr. Vuro smiled trying to be comforting.

“If only I’d gotten Mr. Oma for my homeroom teacher…” Alice moped opening her soda.

“Hey now, you know the trend with the students that pass through Oma’s class. Crow just wants you to be absolutely ready for what will be expected out of a Valkyrie rank student. She got an easy rank up to Valkyrie as a student and boy was she shocked at how different it was.” he sighed retaining his smile.

“I’m getting closer at least… I almost had it… if I didn’t trip at the start maybe I’d have passed…” Alice weakly smiled before taking a sip of her drink.

“You tripped? That’s not like you. You’re one of the most careful students that I’ve had the pleasure of teaching.” Mr. Vuro told her.

“Apparently one of my shoelaces came loose without me noticing and I stepped on it with my other foot. I lost a good minute fixing it…” she sighed.

“Were they tied when you got into position?” he asked.

“I’m pretty sure. I didn’t trip until the exam started.” she replied.

“Well, next week be sure to double check your shoes.” Mr. Vuro chuckled.

“It’s weird… it’s always at the exam that something happens.” Alice sighed, and that set off a flag for Mr. Vuro… something wasn’t right if it was every time.

He knew it’d be a waste of time to go to Crow. He was skipping right to the top, Headmaster Genus Alpine. He retrieved a file from his office, and made for the elevator. The secretary saw his face and didn’t bother stopping him as he made right for the headmaster’s office. Sitting behind his dark oak desk was Headmaster Genus, who had long untidy blue hair and wore scholarly robes with spectacles.

“Ben, what brings you here? Don’t you have classes going on until evening today?” Genus asked with a smile.

“Sir, I’ve brought up the subject many times before… but now I’ve definitive proof that Helen Crow is purposely interfering in her Promotion Exams.” Mr. Vuro replied tossing the file onto his desk.

“What’s this?” Genus asked.

“A compilation of accounts from female students that graduated or are graduating having never gone above Templar 1st Class. Each and every single one reports something causing them to just miss the target score on every attempt. They were all in Helen Crow’s class, and the most recent victim of this targeting is Alice Odiscious. She’s up to six attempts now, and reported to me that something interfered in all six attempts.” he replied as Genus looked through the many accounts.

“I’d have dismissed it if it were just a few students, but there’s enough for at least an entire year of students to have been targeted here. The interference seems to always be in the student's attire as well. By my authority as Headmaster, I command that Helen Crow be apprehended and made to confess.” Genus growled pushing his spectacles up.

Alice went to bed early that night. She’d just have to try again. She dreamed of wearing the red and gold uniform donned by Valkyrie rank students. When morning at last came she found that she’d cried in her sleep again. She put on her uniform and jumped when the door opened to a tall, masculine, dark-skinned man with long white hair wearing black robes. It was the Alchemy teacher, Professor Derrick Fraum.

“Get your personal spear, you’re coming with me.” he ordered with his usual cold stare.

“What about classes?” Alice asked.

“Shut up and comply.” he growled in response.

She reluctantly pulled the long black suitcase from under her bed and walked alongside him. He led her to the faculty parking lot where a large red military-grade jeep was waiting. Another female student with short blue hair wearing a grey and red Berserker uniform was already sitting in the back. He opened the door and pointed indicating to get inside. She did so nervously allowing him to close the door, then he got in the shotgun seat.

“Let’s go before we get caught in the lunch rush traffic.” the professor sighed as the vehicle began to pull out and drive.

Alice was too nervous to speak. She couldn’t get a good look at who was driving either. She didn’t have a clue if she was in trouble or not adding onto her anxiety. Why did she need her spear? Who was this other girl? Her anxiety grew as the jeep pulled off the highway and to a dirt road headed into the countryside. Eventually the jeep turned onto a bumpy road that went into the depths of a forest. It at last came to a stop when they were outside of an ominous-looking cave.

“Everybody out.” the professor instructed.

When Alice exited she gasped seeing her driver was no one else but Mr. Vuro. He had a big grin on his face. The professor shot her a glare and she panicked hurrying to open her briefcase revealing a three-piece spear inside that she quickly put together. The other girl had already slipped on Vulcanon Gauntlets, relics excavated from the sunken fire kingdom, which told Alice that she was a Vulcan Descendant.

“Ben. Take your choice through the left tunnel, we’re going through the right.” the professor ordered.

“Oh-hoh, giving us the longer path on purpose, eh?” Mr. Vuro teased.

“They’re equally long and difficult, it doesn’t matter which path either one takes as long as it isn’t the same.” the professor growled.

“Darn right it doesn’t matter. That’s why we’re taking the right and not you.” Mr. Vuro laughed taking Alice’s hand pulling her with him into the cave and down the right of two pathways.

“W-Why are we here?!” Alice asked in a panic.

“Not allowed to tell you!” Mr. Vuro laughed finally giving her time to catch her breath.

“Are there monsters in here?” Alice asked looking around.

“That’s right. You gotta get through to the end with them attacking you.” he replied.

“On my own…?” Alice nervously asked.

“I can’t avoid inadvertently helping if I’m forced to defend myself. I won’t let you die either.” he winked.

They then started on their way. Stone Wolves attacked testing Alice’s combat skills as Mr. Vuro showed great skill with his combat knife defending himself. The tunnel seemed to go on forever though and the wolves kept coming. The monotony of the cave was broken when at last they reached a large central room with two more tunnel paths headed downward.

“Which way do we go?” Alice asked.

“Your choice this time. Left or right.” Mr. Vuro shrugged with a grin on his face glancing at the entrances of each tunnel.

“I can faintly hear water from the left… monsters here would be attracted to a water source, so I think we should go right.” Alice told him.

“Final answer? I’m not allowed to let you change your mind once we’re partway inside that path.” Mr. Vuro asked.

“Yes. We’re going right.” Alice replied attempting to be confident in her answer.

“Let’s go then.” he chuckled, and as they entered the right tunnel Mr. Vuro dropped a sparkling rock from his pocket at the tunnel entrance.

A few minutes after they’d gone, Professor Fraum came through with the other student. He looked at the floor before the entrances and spotted the sparkling stone. He then let out a heavy sigh.

“We’re taking the left tunnel.” he told the student.

“If the paths don’t matter in the end then I couldn’t care less.” she coldly told him.

Down the tunnel the slowly sloping tunnel eventually turned to stone stairs. Alice examined them for a minute finding it odd that there’d be steps like this in a cave of all places. She continued on as Mr. Vuro grinned following her. The monster attacks had all but ceased and the air quality was very clean now compared to the mustiness of the earlier areas of the cave. It was as if they were outside, but yet they were underground.

“What’s with this cave…?” Alice asked as she kept descending the stairs.

“I wouldn’t say that we’re in a cave anymore.” Mr. Vuro chuckled.

Eventually the walls cleared away with a stone archway. Alice gasped in awe seeing the roaring waterfalls in the massive area they’d descended into. They were in a large temple area. At the very bottom was an altar of sorts bearing a glowing purple sphere. Alice hurried down the steps and through the temple areas with Mr. Vuro right behind her wearing a big grin. When they reached the altar Professor Fraum and the other student were there, but the student looked to be hurt badly.

“About time. You kept us waiting.” the professor scolded.

“Chill out, you can’t blame her for wanting to take in the scenery can you? This place is gorgeous.” Mr. Vuro chuckled brazenly ignoring the professor’s anger.

“Were the monsters that tough in your route?” Alice asked the other student.

“The monsters were cake… the Esper is what did this to me…” she scoffed turning her head away.

“Esper…? The same kind of Esper that’s born from souls that couldn’t move on to the Netherworld? Aren’t those things all mythical folklore told to keep us invested in history?” Alice asked looking to the professor and Mr. Vuro.

“They’re real alright. One of ‘em is right there… waiting to test your mettle in one on one combat.” Mr. Vuro replied with a serious look.

“Wait… you brought me here… to fight an Esper…?” Alice asked shaking.

“We’ve come to the goal and I’ve already explained it to her, so listen up. You’re here being tested to rank up to Dragonslayer. In simpler terms, this is ‘Odin’s Trial’.” the professor replied.

“What?! On my own?! There’s no way!” Alice exclaimed.

“This is no time to be a protagonist, Alice. Challenge the Esper by approaching the altar. If you succeed, you’ll gain the power to summon the Esper in times of need… making you a cut above the rest of the student body.” Mr. Vuro scolded her.

“What does that even mean?” Alice asked.

“Just challenge it so we can go home.” the professor growled making Alice jump hurrying to approach the sphere.

The orb began to emit a bright purple light that blinded Alice temporarily. When she regained her sight she found herself standing on the floor of the water reservoir, but she could breathe and move as if on land. A flash of light then materialized a beefcake male figure ahead of her. He had large forward-protruding black horns on the sides of his head which bore a mane of white hair, he had glowing purple eyes, deathly pale purple skin with black tribal tattoos, razor sharp black claws on his fingers and toes, a long thick beast tail above his posterior, and wore only thick dark grey handcuffs and ankle cuffs with broken chains attached complimenting his raggedy knee-length dark brown pants.

“Who challenges me, Trejnar…?” he growled stepping toward Alice making her squeak in fear.

“M-Me, Alice…” Alice nervously told him readying her spear.

“Another in that uniform… hmph… allow me to show you the difference between you and those who are truly worthy of my power…” he scoffed before charging her.

Alice used her agility to her advantage striking him as she dodged, but her blade only seemed to bounce off his thick flesh as if striking concrete. He gored her with his horns sending her flying to the wall. She narrowly ducked in time to evade a second gore busting apart some of the wall. She continued trying to wound him as he seemed to get faster roaring like a beast.

“Am I even scratching him…?” Alice thought to herself as she evaded another attempt to gore her.

Trejnar then leapt back from her getting on all fours firmly planting his fists and feet. His horns then began to gather electricity turning golden. Alice hit the deck as he roared unleashing a massive blast of electricity from his horns at her. The wall behind her began to collapse as he grabbed her by the throat lifting her.

“This is the end!” Trejnar growled as Alice continued to slash at him not seeming to do anything to him.

“Return Level 3.” a woman’s voice spoke making Trejar howl as Alice’s next slash made a large cut on his chest.

He threw her across the arena as he growled furiously due to his wound. Alice managed to get to her feet as her foe let out a furious ground-shaking roar at her. With what energy she had left she managed to land some critical blows on him as she evaded making him roar even more unleashing storm spheres and lightning rays from his mouth at her. When her legs gave in her and he charged aiming to gore her she thrust her spear forward closing her eyes in some hope of surviving the attack. The hit never came… and when she opened her eyes she saw her spear had pierced his chest.

“How…? How can a whelp like you… bear the same grit as King Lawrence…?” Trejnar growled pulling her spear from his flesh seeming unfazed by the obvious heart wound he now had.

“Therein lies your error. You compare her to someone who is long passed and himself had many who were more skilled than him. On top of it, you failed to notice that someone had cast a paling upon you.” the woman’s voice spoke again.

The battlefield then turned to light and both combatants were now in front of the altar again. Joining Mr. Vuro, the professor, and the girl student was a woman bearing long red hair wearing black and white mage robes wielding a moon scepter taller than herself. Bound with strong magic rings were three female students wearing white and black uniforms… the colors flown by the Dragonslayer Rank students.

“Lady Jordonna…” Trejnar gasped kneeling.

“These three interfered with your trials. They combined their magic power to cast Physibarrier upon the Esper, making him invulnerable to your physical attacks no matter how hard you hit him. They then tried to deny it, which led me little choice but to remove their spell myself thus proving their guilt.” Lady Jordonna explained to the group.

“Why would they do that…?” Alice asked.

“They’re the only girls in the Dragonslayer rank… meaning they got all of the popularity with boys via their rank to themselves. Guess they refused to share that popularity with any newcomers.” the professor scoffed glaring at the girls.

“As a result, these trials cannot be considered true evaluations of their skill against a mighty foe.” Jordonna sighed.

“On the contrary, after you removed the paling she managed to win against Trejnar even though she was worn out and injured. Abigail on the other hand conceded to him.” Mr. Vuro told her.

“Even I must agree that Alice’s trial can indeed be considered a true evaluation as she still came out on top.” the professor nodded.

“What do you think of these claims, Miss Wilson?” Jordonna asked Abigail.

“Exactly as they say. I was not strong enough to hold my own… even if you had removed the paling during my trial the end result would have remained the same. I require more training...” she replied

“If that is how you feel, then I shall allow Trejnar to honor the Esper Pact.” Jordonna nodded.

“Very well… I shall lend you the strength of the Eye of the Storm when you need it… Pactmaker…” Trejnar growled turning into energy that then entered Alice’s body.

A silver bracelet with many indentations then formed around her wrist. In the very center slot above her wrist was a glittering purple gem. This was the same bracelet that every Dragonslayer student wears somewhere on their person.

“Well, let’s go report back.” Mr. Vuro sighed.

Once back on campus, the entire student body was there waiting in the courtyard to greet them. Headmaster Genus was wearing a big grin as Mr. Vuro gave a thumbs up putting his hand on Alice’s shoulder.

“Students! Applause for Alice Odiscious, Dragonslayer 3rd Class!” he spoke, and the student body began to clap making Alice blush with a meek smile.

Alice was then escorted to Student Supplies where she was given her Dragonslayer Uniform along with an updated Student ID and class schedule. Dragonslayers received classes separate from other students, making seeing them in passing that much more thrilling to them. Starting tomorrow… she’d be a Dragonslayer student.


End file.
